The 10 Best International Schools of Italy 2020’

A Shift From Teaching Culture to Learning Culture
The pandemic that is ravaging the globe has disrupted mostly everything and the fastest sector to adapt to this was the education industry. Today, kids are being compelled to open their laptops from home, classes are being conducted online, assignments and homework are being submitted and evaluated online and this could possibly be the start of a life-determining journey.
The response to Corona Virus has taught us how technology is reforming both teaching and learning. Though the push for the change existed even before pandemic, it has now been accelerated. So, what will education look like post Covid-19?
One thing is apparent that the children who will start schooling now will grow up to be leaders of a digital world and the world in return will continuously demand new skills, new ways of thinking and a cross-disciplinary knowledge of all domains.
Hence, for children who will start going to school post the pandemic will need all social, emotional, academic and technological knowledge to thrive in life. In short, the conventional educational strategy (until the COVID-19 outbreak) of ‘Reading’, ‘Writing’ and ‘Arithmetic’ will have a new addition; ‘Rethink’.
To achieve this, preschools, high schools, and any other level of educational institution will have to empower their students to learn by themselves in flexible and collaborative ways both outside and inside classrooms. Students must also be encouraged to follow their interests and passions starting from an early age, familiarize with the competitive world and challenge themselves when needed.
That being said, the teaching techniques will also need to undergo a change. Real-time data devices, AI, and the range of other innovative technical devices will reform the teacher-student experience, classroom-experience and schools in whole.
This means that teachers will have access to individualized real;-time data on each student’s progression. It will also help teachers to plan a personalized lesson plan for their students. Furthermore, if these data based devices are to be installed in the school system, teachers will also be able to create flexible learning spaces and environments that aid continuous learning.
This helps us foresee that perhaps technology’s most direct impact will be emergence of people-driven or personalized learning. As mentioned above, data-driven information will help teachers to monitor the holistic growth of each student. Thus, while ensuring that students reach their academic goal, a personalized learning strategy will also ensure the character development, social and emotional development of each student.
Another development aligned with real data-driven and personalized teaching can also end the current cycle of tests and lessons. A test gives teachers a purview of the student’s performance but it becomes difficult for them to adjust to their teaching and focus on students who scored comparatively less. However, measuring the real-time data will help teachers know where each of their students stand.
As mentioned before, education will be transformed and made people-centric. However, for all of this to work, it is also important that the profession of teaching should be reformed too. Teaching will move away from just standing at the chalkboard and dictating words or giving surprise tests.
This new age data-driven teaching will cultivate model teacher learners; teachers who will learn along with students. Such teachers will understand that ‘know it all; is a failed attempt today and in order to help students lead the disrupted world they too will disrupt.
Teaching and leading by example will be the new norm. In order to make students understand the need to be lifelong learners, they themselves will walk the path of life-long self learning. Thus in future the ability of teachers to adapt and innovate will be crucial.
Imagine a world where every child, has a passion for life long learning, is self educated and a critical thinker, and behind that student was a new age model teacher who is a learner (themselves) and even demonstrates the habits of mind that requires great learning!
Having recognized this, teachers at many schools in Italy are moving beyond the 40-minute lecture and test-assessment learning structure rather recognizing their goal to expand every student’s potential.
In this edition of, ‘The 10 Best International Schools of Italy 2020’ we have featured a few such schools that are backed by teachers who are adapting and innovating themselves.
Featured on the cover of the issue is, Little Genius International School which functions on the central philosophy that; ‘the best innovation that inspires students is the teachers.’
We have also featured; American School of Milan, Castelli International School, Udine International School, and Florence Institute Of Design International for adopting innovative and reformatory techniques to help students reach their highest potential.
We would also like to list; Deledda International School, St. Louis School, Ambrit International School, Ambrit International School, Cabella International Sahaja School, and Southlands International School wherein teachers are making both teaching and learning joyful.
Also, do take a peek at some exclusive articles written by education experts and our in-house editorial team.
Happy Reading!
-Crescent CU
Disclaimer: The Knowledge Review does not, to any extent - Legal or Commercial, claim that these are the only 10 Best International Schools in Italy. This aforementioned listing has been curated on the basis of The Knowledge Review's ranking parameters and we do not imply any notion of unethical or misleading advertisement.